Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for facilitating contact or communication between users or participants. A profile matching process is performed to match a user profile of a first user to a user profile of a second user. A number of questions to ask the second user are automatically selected. In addition, an answer to one or more of the questions may be suggested to the second user. The questions and any suggested answers are then sent to the second user at an associated user device. A reward to be revealed to the second user in response to answering the questions may also be provided. A summary of the answers given by the second user may be provided to the first user. In response, the first user may choose to share his or her full or partial user profile, contact information, or the like with the second user.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for facilitating contact or communication between users or participants. A profile matching process is performed to match a user profile of a first user to a user profile of a second user. A number of questions to ask the second user are automatically selected. In addition, an answer to one or more of the questions may be suggested to the second user. The questions and any suggested answers are then sent to the second user at an associated user device. A reward to be revealed to the second user in response to answering the questions may also be provided. A summary of the answers given by the second user may be provided to the first user. In response, the first user may choose to share his or her full or partial user profile, contact information, or the like with the second user.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing location-based wagering. In one embodiment, wagerable data associated with a location of a first user is identified. The wagerable data may be any type of data on which a wager may be based. Then, a wager recommendation is generated based on the wagerable data and returned to the first user. The first user defines a wager, and the wager is published to one or more second users located in proximity to the first user. Each of the one or more second users is enabled to accept the wager if desired. In addition, one or more winners and one or more losers of the wager may be identified and payout may then be effected.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for generating, sending, and delivering a message addressed using an image of an intended message recipient of the message. In one embodiment, a central server receives a message including an image of an intended message recipient from a first user device of a first user. The central server then identifies a second user as the intended message recipient based on the image of the intended message recipient. Then, before delivering the message, the central server obtains an image of a user at a second user device associated with the second user and sends the image to the first user device where the image is presented to the first user. Upon receiving authentication from the first user device that the user at the second user device is the intended message recipient, the central server delivers the message to the second user device of the second user.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for generating, sending, and delivering a message addressed using an image of an intended message recipient of the message. In one embodiment, a central server receives a message including an image of an intended message recipient from a first user device of a first user. The central server then identifies a second user as the intended message recipient based on the image of the intended message recipient. Then, before delivering the message, the central server obtains an image of a user at a second user device associated with the second user and sends the image to the first user device where the image is presented to the first user. Upon receiving authentication from the first user device that the user at the second user device is the intended message recipient, the central server delivers the message to the second user device of the second user.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating, sending, and delivering a message addressed using an image of an intended message recipient of the message. In one embodiment, a sending user captures or otherwise obtains an image of an intended message recipient. A message to the intended message recipient is then generated, addressed using the image of the intended message recipient, and sent to a central server. The central server identifies the intended message recipient based on the image of the intended message recipient and optionally a location and time at which the image was captured. Optionally, the identity of the intended message recipient may be verified by one or more users such as one or more friends of the intended message recipient. The central server then sends the message to the intended message recipient using known contact information such as a username or email address of the intended message recipient.

Abstract: A friends-based low-threat response service for subscribers in one or more mobile communications networks is provided. In general, in a low-threat situation, a subscriber initiates a request to the low-threat response service via the subscriber's mobile device. The low-threat response service identifies a friend of the subscriber or a friend-of-a-friend of the subscriber that is geographically proximate to the subscriber as a responder. The low-threat response service then establishes communication between the subscriber and the responder or notifies the subscriber that the responder is coming to provide assistance. The low-threat response service may also effect presentation of information at a mobile device of the responder directing the responder to the subscriber, information at the mobile device of the subscriber directing the subscriber to the responder, or both.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing location-based wagering. In one embodiment, wagerable data associated with a location of a first user is identified. The wagerable data may be any type of data on which a wager may be based. Then, a wager recommendation is generated based on the wagerable data and returned to the first user. The first user defines a wager, and the wager is published to one or more second users located in proximity to the first user. Each of the one or more second users is enabled to accept the wager if desired. In addition, one or more winners and one or more losers of the wager may be identified and payout may then be effected.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for generating and managing communication rules associated with geographic locations. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a method may include storing a communication rule associated with a geographic location and a user. The method also includes receiving a communication identifying the geographic location. Further, the method includes applying the communication rule for routing the communication to the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for generating, sending, and delivering a message addressed using an image of an intended message recipient of the message. In one embodiment, a central server receives a message including an image of an intended message recipient from a first user device of a first user. The central server then identifies a second user as the intended message recipient based on the image of the intended message recipient. Then, before delivering the message, the central server obtains an image of a user at a second user device associated with the second user and sends the image to the first user device where the image is presented to the first user. Upon receiving authentication from the first user device that the user at the second user device is the intended message recipient, the central server delivers the message to the second user device of the second user.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing passive crowd-sourced alternate route recommendations are disclosed. In one embodiment, locations of users of a number of mobile location-aware devices are tracked over time. Upon receiving a request, users of mobile location-aware devices that have traveled from a desired start location to a desired stop location are identified. Location histories for the identified users are analyzed to determine one or more different routes taken from the desired start location to the desired stop location. The one or more different routes, or a select subset thereof, are then returned to the requestor as recommended alternate routes.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for obtaining secondary indications of locations of users for use by a location-based service. In one embodiment, a secondary indication of a location of one or more users is obtained from a source of secondary indications of locations of users. The secondary indication includes a location of the one or more users and timing information defining when the one or more users were or will be located at the location. The secondary indication of the location of the one or more users is then stored and utilized to provide the location-based service. In one embodiment, the secondary indication is utilized to store historical aggregate user profile data by location and/or to provide aggregate user profile data for crowds of users formed via a spatial crowd formation process.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling access to sharable items. In general, a computing device of a user stores a sharable item. A sharing rule is configured for the sharable item, where the sharing rule is based on an element of aggregate profile data for a current location of the user, a crowd characteristic of one or more crowds that are currently relevant to the current location of the user, or both. Depending on the embodiment, the element of the aggregate profile data, the crowd characteristic of the one or more crowds, or both are obtained and the sharing rule for the sharable item is resolved. Sharing of the sharable item is then provided according to a result of the resolution of the sharing rule for the sharable item.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods and systems for associating co-presence information with a media item comprise creating a media identification (ID) for the media item in response to a media device acquiring a media item. The media ID is broadcast to at least one peer device co-present with the media device. A transmission is received from a registered user of the peer device reporting receipt of the media record ID, and an arbitrary ID for the registered user is created. The arbitrary ID of the registered user of the peer device that reported receipt of the media record ID is then associated with the media item.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for maintaining a historical record of anonymized user profile data for mobile device users. In one embodiment, a central system, which includes one or more servers, operates to obtain current locations and user profiles for users of mobile devices. The central system processes the current locations and the user profiles of the users over time to maintain a historical record of anonymized user profile data by location. By anonymizing the user data, privacy of the users of the mobile devices is maintained. The central system may then use the historical record of anonymized user profile data to respond to historical requests. The historical requests may be made by users of the mobile devices, subscribers, and/or third-party services.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for maintaining a historical record of anonymized user profile data for mobile device users and serving historical requests. In one embodiment, a central system, which includes one or more servers, operates to obtain current locations and user profiles for users of mobile devices. The central system processes the current locations and the user profiles of the users over time to maintain a historical record of anonymized user profile data by location. By anonymizing the user data, privacy of the users of the mobile devices is maintained. The central system may then use the historical record of anonymized user profile data to respond to historical requests. The historical requests may be made by users of the mobile devices, subscribers, and/or third-party services.

Abstract: Systems and methods relating to location-based applications, such as widgets, are disclosed. In general, in one embodiment, a mobile device obtains a list of applications associated with a current or anticipated location of the mobile device from a centralized or distributed application service. One or more desired applications to be activated are either manually or automatically selected from the list of applications associated with the current location or the anticipated location of the mobile device. The mobile device then activates the one or more desired applications. Optionally, for each desired application that has been activated, the desired application may be deactivated once one or more deactivation criteria are satisfied.

Abstract: A music diary processor for generating an electronic music diary. The music diary processor receives a plurality of event identifiers from a user, wherein each event identifier identifies a respective life event associated with the user. The user can also provide a date identifier identifying a date associated with the life event, a song identifier identifying one or more songs identified by the user as being associated with the live event. The event identifiers, song identifiers and the date identifiers are stored in an electronic storage medium wherein each song identifier and date identifier is coupled with at least one respective event identifier, and a plurality of event identifiers are coupled with each other. The music diary processor can serve as a music discovery vehicle, wherein the music diary processor can use data entered by a user to locate songs and other data associated with other music diaries.

Abstract: A system and method for tracking crowds of users are provided. In one embodiment, a central system, which includes one or more servers, operates to obtain current locations for users of mobile devices. Based on the current locations of the users, the central system forms crowds of users. As a result of movement of the users and corresponding location updates, the crowds move and change over time. In order to track at least some of the crowds, crowd snapshots for those crowds are created over time and stored. The crowd snapshots preferably maintain anonymity of the users in the crowd at the time the crowd snapshots are created. Thereafter, the crowd snapshots may be used to generate crowd tracking data for select crowds.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for processing a request for crowd data for a large geographic area. In one embodiment, a central system, which includes one or more servers, operates to obtain current locations for users of mobile devices and form crowds of three or more users based on the current locations of the users. In order to provide access to crowd data for crowds for a large geographic area, the central system receives a request for crowd data from a requesting device, establishes a bounding region for the request, and identifies one or more starting points within the bounding region for the request. Crowds are identified, crowd data for the crowds is generated, and the crowd data is returned to the requesting device in an iterative manner for a series of two or more outwardly radiating, concentric geographic regions centered at the one or more starting points.